ESSAY 1V. 151 5. "Although you could prove that the mercy of Godwill pardon some sinners, yet how can you be sure it will pardon you ?" If you were told, that it will save a million of trans- gressors, yet can you ever prove that it will save you ? Nay, as highly sovereign as you fancy it to be, you may be still excluded from the exercise of it ; for you may as well ima- gine this to be one instance of sovereignty, to forgive-. thou- sands, and yet punish you, if you have nothing else to plead but his mere goodness. Now it. is not wise to venture so important an interest as that of an immortal soul upon any uncertainty whatsoever, if it can be avoided ; and according to your own principle of dependence on sovereign mercy, you are left at a dreadful uncertainty, if you have nothing,else to trust to but the mere sovereignty of divine goodness. 6. " You have over and over again, by repeated sins, forfeited all pretences to the favour and mercy of God ;" Whatsoever ground you have had to hope in his goodness, yet you have cut off all those grounds by you frequent actual iniquities. Let us enter: into particulars, and survey a little what claims, what pretences you have to trust in this absolute good- ness of God.--1. Will you say, " You are his creature, and he is your Maker and owner, therefore you trust him to save what is his own ?" But remember that every sin of yours has .disowned his dominion, violated his authority, and forfeited his love and all his kind regards, as a Creator and proprietor.-2. Will you plead, " You haveobeyed him, and done much service for him, and therefore you hope his goodness will rewardyou ?" But have younot done more against hint ? Surely your sins are more than your acts of piety, and they cancel all pretended obli- gations you could hope to lay upon a God : I fear, should all our virtues and devotions be put into the scale against our vices and sins, they would be found greatly wanting in the weight. -3. Will you add this plea, " You are in a miserable state, and you trust in his compassion that he will not leave poor sinful wretched beings in a state of misery ?" But have you not affronted him since your miseries began, and sinned against him, even in your bonds ? And is not his compassion thereby utterly for- feited ? Besides, might not fallen angels make the same plea as youdo ? Are they not in great misery ? And yet are they not bound in clyains of darkness; because of theirsins, and shut up to further vengeance ? " O see what an uncertain foundation your souls lean upon, when you venture to trust in the mere absolute mercy of God, and his goodness, without his gospel. It is a goodness sovereign and absolutely free, and therefore not bound to save such wretches as you from misery': It is a goodness that can see'sin- ing angels perish for ever, and not help them: It is a goodness
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